Testing your APIs using the API Cockpit (Beta) on the SAP API Business Hub

One of the most attractive features of the SAP API Business Hub for me, is the Try out option available for REST and OData APIs. This option is available when the API providers have provisioned a sandbox system for the API and provided the test data that can be used to try the API.

So, when I’m trying out, let’s say the SAP Translation Hub API, I open the GET/domains operation, and click Try out.

The Try out often needs some input, for example, for the same operation, if I want to know if a domain is available on the SAP Translation Hub, then I enter a description of the domain, for example, financial. Then I click Execute.

In the Responses section, I can then see the list of SAP product domains associated with finance, that are available in the SAP Translation Hub.

While the Try out functionality provides a starting point, the SAP API Business Hub, now offers an advanced testing space, where I can store frequently used APIs, test them, and view their responses. Using the API Cockpit, I can select the API, and the operation I want to test, add the required parameters, execute the response and then inspect the response in the Response area.

Right now, the API Cockpit is in the Beta Phase, with APIs having a sandbox being supported.

Once I log onto the SAP API Business Hub, I can navigate to the API Cockpit. There I can add an API, let’s say, OData Service for Business Partners.

I can also add APIs to the API Cockpit using the Add to API Cockpit option from the API itself.

This API is now added to the API Cockpit.

In the API Cockpit, I now select the POST/A_AddressEmailAddress operation. Then I enter the values for the Body in the Request section.

The Headers section also needs to be populated

The csrf token is generated using the GET operation in the same API.

The Response Body section displays the response.

Another feature that makes the API Cockpit so user friendly is the presence of the Formatted View in the Request and Response sections.

An API request body or a response from an API can be comprehended easily by an application developer. However, for  business users, a certain API request body or a response could look complex if they have several levels and sub levels associated with them.

Business users are key API decision makers in an organization. It would be easier for them to make a quick buying decision if the API request body and response are displayed in an easy-to-be visualized or simplified format.

Now, whenever I access the SAP API Business Hub, and navigate to the API Cockpit, I will find this API, along with values I had entered before. I simply must then click Execute, to view the response.

You can view a quick video for using the API Cockpit here.

This makes my testing and usage of APIs from the SAP API Business Hub easier and more seamless.